BOSTON — Bruins winger Brad Marchand is standing up to a Twitter user who attacked him with a homophobic slur.

Marchand says the slur happened two days ago and he thought it important to go public and reply directly to the person who wrote it. The player says this struck home because he has a "few friends that are in same-sex relationships."

In speaking to the media about this before Saturday's home game against the Buffalo Sabres, Marchand said: "Nowadays it's not right to go after people that way, so I figured I'd get it out there."

Marchand says the person who used the slur also directed it at a teammate.

The Boston forward says he replied to the Twitter user, writing: "This derogatory statement is offensive to so many people around the world."